PINELLAS PARK, Fla. (WTSP) -- Daniel Jensen wasn't running from the law, he was
trying to protect his home from burning up. Yet, Pinellas Park Police tasered
him in the process. Jensen and his attorney say it's an excessive
use of force.

Jensen was still shaken and visibly emotional as he retold what happened last
Thursday evening. He said being tasered by police has not only impacted him, but
it also impacted his children, who saw it all happen.

He described the Pinellas Park Police officers actions as "brutal." He said
they showed "no compassion."

"All I remember is laying in water, being electrocuted for saving my home,"
said Jensen.

Four days later, burns on Daniel Jensen's body still mark where the stun
gun's probes hit him. He says they tasered him for doing what any father and
husband would do protect his family's home from an out-of-control grease
fire.

The 42-year-old father of two recalls his wife waking him around 6 in the
evening, saying there's a big fire at his neighbor's house.

"I could hear it, I could feel it," he explained.

He ran outside and grabbed a fire extinguisher. He sprayed it until it was
empty.

"I was calling for my daughter and getting no response. I came out, grabbed
the hose and sprayed her room until I heard she was out. I was always taught to
help when you can; help is what I tried to do," said Jensen.

He continued to recount the events. He said he then took the garden hose and
started watering down his fence and the back corner of his rooftop, trying to
prevent the fire from spreading to his property. But with each attempt, Daniel
said Pinellas Park Police kept pulling him back... even though firefighters were
not in sight.

"They kept telling me, 'Let it go, that's what insurance is for.' That's not
acceptable to me," said Jensen.

Captain Sanfield Forseth with the Pinellas Park Police Department said
officers could have charged him with obstruction for not listening to an
officer's orders.

"I wasn't doing that. What I was doing was what any home owner would do to
protect a family and home," said Jensen.

Captain Forseth said the department will not be charging him.

When Jensen saw the fire jump on to his back roof, he again grabbed the hose.
That's when he said -- unknown to him -- a police officer pulled out a taser and
fired it at his back.

"As I went to grab the hose, I hear an officer on this side. There was a boat
here; he was just behind it. He said, 'Hit him, hit him! Take him down, tase
him!'" explained Jensen. "I didn't know they were talking to me, or about me. I
was concerned about putting water on the fire, and the next thing you know I'm
being tased."

Daniel said a Sergeant ordered an officer to tase him, but the officer never
warned him as department policy requires.

According to Pinellas Park Police policy, an officer will use a taser when
"other control techniques" would likely result in a "physical confrontation"
that may cause injury to the officer or person. But the officer must first give
a "verbal warning" that he is going to use a taser.

After tasing Daniel, he said several officers picked him up, carried him to
the front yard, threw him on the ground and handcuffed him.

Daniel says he's very disappointed in the police department.

"They should have more tolerance with the public, to exhaust all options
before firing electricity into somebody, handcuff them instead of tasering
them."

Daniel said about the experience as he fights through tears, "It was
horrible. I was laying in a puddle of water being electrocuted here by the
people that are supposed to protect us. I'm trying to protect my family, my
neighbor, and they bring harm to me. I don't understand."

Captain Forseth with the Pinellas Park Police
Department said they exhausted all other options, and that their goal was to
keep Daniel and the officers safe from the fire.

Daniel and his attorney Heidi Imhof are considering legal action against the
Pinellas Park Police Department.